This
image depicts the ruins of Uxmal, an ancient site in the Puuc
hills of the Yucatán peninsula, which was a thriving city
and religious center for the Maya between ca. 800-1000 CE. Unlike
many of Catherwood’s other prints, the huge open sky and
the land fading away behind the ruins give a sense of the vast
size of the city.
Uxmal
was unusual because the plan of its buildings did not literally
follow the natural topography. Each structure was set very specifically
in alignment with the four cardinal compass points. The Pyramid
of the Magician, seen in the right of the print, is also unusual
in that it is elliptical, rather than square or rectangular, as
is typical of Maya pyramids. At the center, the Nunnery Quadrangle,
so called because the cell-like rooms inside reminded the Spanish
explorers of convents, is set apart by the fact that its four
buildings are placed on different levels; the north building is
the highest, followed by the east and west, with the southern
structure the lowest in elevation.
In
the foreground, local people are shown working in front of the
House of the Governor, presumably clearing the site for Stephens’
and Catherwood’s exploration. [Spanish
version].
CHARLOTTE
BALLANTINE |
